More myths dispelled, or, Jerry pisses off more teachers

I asked my students, How many of you have been told to lift your arms using your back (or something like that)?

Every hand went up.

I said, You can't.

Blank faces.

I then used one of them to describe what your back muscles do. I showed where the latissinus dorsi originate and insert. I showed and explained what the trapezius does. I then asked, can you use those muscles to lift your arms?

No.

I then showed and explained the deltoids.

I asked, What lifts your arms?

The deltoids. (More specifically, the anterior and medial; the posterior pulls the arm back from in front of the body, but only when the elbow is above the shoulder, otherwise, your back is doing it).

I explained that when you hold your arms in a proper second position, you are activating your back muscles, and you should always use your back muscles to help stabilize your body, but it is anatomically impossible to lift your arms with your back, the way most teachers say to.

See you in class.